Marketers Challenged by Consumers' Perception of SPAM

TREND:

In growing efforts to combat email SPAM, ISPs continue to put more power into consumers’ hands. Consumer desire for controlling SPAM (or perceived spam) is what drove Gmail and Hotmail to introduce priority in-boxes, a way for the user’s interaction with emails to be used to determine future in-box placement.

The key word in this trend is “perceived.” Many marketers following email best practices still find themselves managing SPAM complaints through feedback loops. So why is this happening?

TAKEAWAY:
The truth is that subscribers don’t have to care if an email fits the true definition of SPAM. They can – and will – complain about emails that lack relevancy. Even the White House has been accused of sending "spammy" emails. People simply don’t have time to read everything. (Proof: The Hampster Revolution and Taming the Email Beast)

Subscribers only really care about relevant emails. For example, over time a retailer’s email content may prove to be way off-base – still showing only maternity items instead of baby clothes. In cases like this, people click the Junk button or delete the message before reading. This action, recorded by the ISP, then determines future deliverability (priority in-box, regular in-box, spam folder, deferment or black lists).

HOW-TO
For better deliverability, start by injecting relevancy into email campaigns.

Only email people what they want.
Establish a good subscription center or preferences page, and send the same amount and type of content that you promised.

Use your data well.
Segment lists, target subscribers, and integrate data from multiple sources so that you paint yourself a picture of each individual subscriber. Only then can you begin to deliver the right content at the right time to the right people.